Bulk feed body



June 7, 1960 ca. o. HOFFSTETTER 2,939,592

BULK FEED BODY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 25, 1958 IN VE N TOR flaggzfl livrzyzz' zwg ATTORNEYS June 7,1960 6. o. HOFFSTETTER 2,939,592

BULK FEED BODY Filed Aug. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR ATTORNEYS June 7, 1960 a. o. HOFFSTETTER ,9 ,59

BULK FEED BODY Filed Aug. 25. 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY M ATTORNEYS BULK FEED BODY Filed Aug. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY M ATTORNEYS June 7, 1960 s. o. HOFFSTETTER 2,939,592

BULK FEED BODY Filed Aug. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 7 1 QKIX 1 I NVEN TOR $101 42 0. la /11m ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,939,592 BULK FEED BODY f George'O. Hoflstetter, Baughnian Mfg. Co. Inc., Shipman Road, Jerseyville, Bi.

The present invention relates to bulk feed bodies, and

' particularly to bulk feed bodies having a pneumatic.

delivery for loose dry material.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a bulk feed body having closed compartments for carrying dry loose material, and pneumatic means for delivering the material from the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bulk feed body of the class described above having means therein for controlling the flow of bulk material to the pneumatic conveyor.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a structure of the class described above an air lock between the pneumatic conveyor and'the bulk feed body to eliminate passage of the conveying air from the conveyor to the bulk feed body.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a bulk feed body of the class described above a screw conveyor for conveying the bulk material longitudinally to a pneumatic conveyor positioned at one end thereof. Another object of the invention is to provide a bulk feed body of the class described above which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to use, and which effectively delivers the'bulk material therein to a remote position.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specificationwhenconsidered in the light a of the attached drawings, in which: p p

Figure l is a perspective view of the invention. Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation ot-the invention. I a a Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the invention.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse crosssection taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction'of the arrows.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal crosssection taken alongthe line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking'in thedirection of the arrows. V

Figure .6 is a top plan view of the conveyor structure removed from the truck.

' v Figure 7 is a side elevation'of the conveyor structure removed from the truck.

" Figure' 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view of the air lock. 4

2,939,592 Patented June 7, 1960 erally a bulk feed truck body constructed in accordance with the invention. 4

The thread truck body 20 is mounted on a truck 21 of conventional design including rear driving wheels 22. The truck body 20 includes a pair of downwardly converging side walls 23, 24 connected at their lower endsby an arcuate bottom wall 25, as shown in Figure 4.

A top wall 26 extends between and connects the upper ends of the side walls 23, 24 and is provided with a plurality of spaced apart closures 27. A forward wall 28 is arranged at one end of the body 20 and a rear wall 29 is positioned at the opposite end thereof. A pair of bulkheads 30 extend transversely of the body 20 and divide the truck body 20 into three compartments each of which is provided with a separate closure 27 in the top wall 26. Additional compartments may be provided when desired.

An inverted V-shaped spreader plate 31 extends horizontally, spaced above the bottom wall 25 and is mounted shaped plates 31 and through the side wall 23 intermediate thebulkheads 30. A control shaft 37 is journalled in the tubular housing 36 and terminates intermediate the opposite sides of the inverted V-shaped plate 31. A lever 38 is fixedly secured to the shaft 37 at its inner end and extends downwardly therefrom.

A pair of links 39 are pivotally secured to opposite sides of the lever 38 and extend outwardly therefrom toward the control plates 33. The links 39 are pivotally securedto" the control plates 33 by fittings 40 so that longitudinally swinging movement of the lever 38 will draw the links 39 inwardly to swing the control plates 33 toward each other and away from the converging side walls23, 24, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

A plate 41 is rigidly secured to the lever 38 and is provided with an angle iron flange 42 fixedly secured'to the upper edge thereof. t vertically adjustable set screw 43 projectsthrough the apex of the inverted V-shaped plate 31 and is positionedto engage the flange 42 limiting the swinging movement of the lever38 in one direction.

The lever 38 is adapted to swing slightly past dead -center b efore engaging theset screw 43 so as to lock compartment 44is not provided with a spreader plate 31 and'fee'd control plates 33, these being used only in compartments'45 and46.

An elongated conveyor screw 47 extends longitudinally of the body 20 supported in the arcuate bottom wall 25, as best shown in Figure 4.

The body 20 is supported on a plurality of jacks 48. A catwalk 49 is supported on the jacks 48 on one side of the truck 21 and extends outwardly from. the body 20 in a generally horizontal plane overlying one of the rear wheels 22. A second catwalk 50 is supported on the opposite side of the body 20 on the jacks 48 and extends outwardly therefrom in a generally horizontal plane overlying the other rear wheel 22.

Longintu'dinally extending safety rails 51, 52 are positionedon opposite .sidesof the top wall 26.0f .the.body 20 to assist in climbing onto the top wall 26 to open the closures 2.7. A ladder 53 has its top edge secured to the rtop wall..26 and extends downwardly therefrom in rearwardly spaced relation to the rear :wall .29.

Ablowerr4yis mounted onthe truck 21 at theiforward rend of thebody and'isdrivenzthrough :belts .55.;from a power :take off 56'of-thextruck 211. Aright-angle drive gear case '57 is secured'to the forward end of :the screw .47.: and is :drivenlby a ',V-belt 58 extending from a trans- "mission :59. The transmission 59 is driven from the blowerxpulley 560-by means of"V+belts 61.

.An:idler'roller .62 is journalled on an :eccentric arm .fifirand engages the belt;58 to itighten the helt ;5.8 causing the itransmission 59 Ltodrive-the right angle 'drivegear case :57. .A ilever latch .64engages :the eccentric 211111263 fornsecuring the idler-roller :62 .out of engagement with the =-V--:belt .58.

.A conduit 65 is :connected to the outlet side of "the blower 54 and extends rearwardly therefromsupported onthe catwalk 49. A rotary, feeder drum 66;is.supported beneath therear end of the body 20 and is provided with .a "conduit 67 extending upwardly therefrom communircating with thearcuate bottom wall adjacent the rear end thereof.

A'valve,-generally indicated at 68, :is provided with a plurality of radially extending circumferentially equispaced vanes 69 positioned within the drum 66 and forming therewith a plurality of chambers 70. A shaft 71 has its oppositeends-journalled in the drum 66 andsupports the vanes 69 forrotation in the drum 66.

.Thec'onduit65 communicates with thedrum 66.-at 72., and a second conduit 73 communicateswith the;drum 66 in opposed relation tothe-conduit 65. The conduit 65 zan'dithe conduit :73 are arranged inaligned relation with their axes parallel tothe axis of the shaft '71.

Atbevel gear case 74 .is supported 'on:the under side of the rear of the body '20 and .is' drivenifrom ftherrear end of the conveyor screw 47 by a chain 75. v An-gidler and vanes 69 are rotate'd'within .the drum 6.6.

In'the use and operation "ofztheinvention, zdry material in the compartment 44;is:fe;d along .the conveyor screw -47 .and dropped through the :conduit 67 :into the drum 66. 'Rotation :of the shaft 71 :rotates 'thezvanes 69.;and chambers 70 so as .tolsucessively .align thechambers 70 with the;conduits 65, 73. .Air :from the blower 54-.fiowing through the :conduit flows through the chambers aligned with the conduit 65, .73 andpneumatically conveys dry bulkmaterial out of the-drum 66 into the conduit 73 .tozazremotepointrof discharge.

The' vanes .69 engage the Wa1ls'of the;drum166 :suflici- .ently tight to preventaair'from flowing upwardly through :the conduit 67.into the body.20.

Upon emptyingthe compartment 44,:the:feedxcontrol plates. 33 in the compartment 45care. released by rotating the shaft 37 to permit the feerl'control plates .33 'toswing 4 inwardly allowing the dry bulk material in the compartspent 45 .to reach the conveyor screw 47. .Uponemptying the compartment 45, the compartment 46 is emptied in a similar manner.

The conduit 73 is formed of a plurality of sections which are stored in a chest 81 mounted on the catwalk 50 of the truck 21.

Having thus described the "preferred embodiments of the invention, it should :be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from "the ;scope of the appended claims.

What is ,claimedis:

1. A bulk feed body comprising a transportable frame, a hopper having downwardly converging side walls and an arcuate bottom wall mounted on said frame, a helical conveyor extending longitudinally of said hopper on said bottom wall, a blower mounted on said frame exteriorly of'saidhopper, adjacent one end thereof, a feeder drum mounted adjacent the bottom of said hopper at its-other end, a communication between said hopper and said feeder drum adjacent the end of said bottom wall and depending therefrom, a conduit connecting said blower and said feeder drum, power means carriedby said frame, a driving connection between said power means and said blower, a second driving connection between said first driving connection and said helical conveyor atthe-end 'thereo'f adjacent said blower, a gear case adjacent said feeder drum, means operatively connected to the other end of said helical conveyor for driving the'mcchanism of-said gear case, a plurality of rotatably mounted vanesin said feeder drum, forming a seal'between said ihopper and said conduit from said'blower, means-drivingly connecting said rotatable vanes with said gear-case, and an outlet from said drum, control means in 'sa'id hopper for controlling the gravity flow of material therein to said 'screw conveyor, said control means comprising an inverted V-shaped spreader plate in said hopper,-'feedcontrol plates 'hingedly secured-to each side of said spreader plates, a tubular housing extending through said V-shaped plates and exterior'ly of said hopper, and a control shaft "extending through 'said tubular "housing and connected I to said control plates.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the connection between saidcontrol shaft and said control plates comprises a lever secured to said control shaft and -a pair of links pivotally-secured between the end of said lever and 'a control plate, and-stop means 'engageable'hy'said lever for limiting the movement of said lever and hence the movement of said control plates.

"References Cited .in the file of-this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

